Top 25 talk

[Greek Tragedy]

Pat,

I assume you'll have one more poll prior to the holidays and then won't have one until the new year?

[Pat Coleman]

We will vote next week, then take the following week off, yes.

[bouttime]

Most people didnt get a chance to see or hear of Carnegie's exhibition at the University of Pittsburgh last year (yes, the one with Taft and Krauser), but CMU was up by 2 at half time and up by as much as 7 in the second half until their two best players (Maurer and Barlow-Wilcox) fouled out with about 10-12 minutes left and then got blown out.  People may be suprised at how well they fair against a D1 opponent.  I am not saying they are going to win, just that Princeton may be surprised if they take them too lightly.

Also when approached this year about making the Pitt-CMU game a regular thing since the 2 schools campuses are right next to each other, Pitt refused to play CMU this year. I think that says alot in itself.

[David Collinge]

Also when approached this year about making the Pitt-CMU game a regular thing since the 2 schools campuses are right next to each other, Pitt refused to play CMU this year. I think that says alot in itself.

It says to me "we have nothing to gain by playing CMU.  Nobody would come to see it except some nostalgic locals, the win wouldn't help our RPI, and if (god forbid) we lost, we'd be a laughingstock.  So what's in it for Pitt?"

If only more D1's would do this calculus...

[hugenerd]

David, I am not disagreeing with you about Pitt having nothing to gain, but the attendance at last year's exhibition game was ~9000 with tickets sold at normal prices, which is about 75% capacity of the Peterson Events Center.  You would expect the attendance to be somewhat higher for a regular season game. Also, the coverage in local media was rather larger considering, as you said, that Pitt was playing a d3 opponent.

[David Collinge]

I admit that I know nothing of the city or the schools involved, so please correct any misconceptions I have.  With that caveat, it seems to me that 9000 fans and decent media coverage is good news for CMU but bad news for Pitt; as you say/imply, a "regular season game" (by which I gather you mean a D1 opponent for Pitt in the place of CMU) would be expected to draw more fans and attract more media coverage.  If there's some traditional rivalry to be maintained, or a community event to be celebrated, or some other non-basketball-related reason to have such a game, then I'm all for it.  But without those aspects it sounds like a no-win situation for Pitt.

[hugenerd]

I agree with you about them not having much to gain.  I think what bouttime was saying was that since they agreed to play last year and won't this year, there is obviously some other reason they dont want to play and that may be that they are afraid CMU would give them a tough game and don't want to take the chance. Also, all I was saying with me first comment was that I think CMU is tougher than most people give them credit for, they have some really quality players and I wouldnt be surprised to see the Princeton game be competitive.

[gordonmann]

If a Division III team is going to beat a Division I team, Princeton is a good place to start.

A little while ago the Tigers had the lowest scoring DI offense in the country.  They are currently averaging just 49.3 ppg.

[smedindy]

I think that's semi-by design, though, the way they play offense.

Morgan State and Morehead State seem to be the dregs this year, according to Sagarin.

Morehead lost to perennial featherweight Maryland - Eastern Shore, at home.

[Lefty]

If a Division III team is going to beat a Division I team, Princeton is a good place to start.

A little while ago the Tigers had the lowest scoring DI offense in the country.  They are currently averaging just 49.3 ppg.

You might be right on this comment.....Princeton lost to Monmouth tonight 41-21.  That is pathetic!

[smedindy]

That'll happen when you shoot 9-41 from the floor. 

[gordonmann]

Wow!  21 points!

[Titan Q]

Per Princeton's site, they start...

G Geoff Kestler (6-3/200, Fr)
G Kevin Steuerer (6-5/200, So)
F Noah Savage (6-5/230, So)
F Kyle Koncz (6-7/200, So)
C Patrick Ekeruo (6-8/220, Jr)

Not big at all for D1 standards and very inexperienced.

Carnegie Mellon starts...

(weights not listed on CMU roster)

G Geoff Kozak (6-0 Sr)
G A.J. Straub (6-2 Sr)
F Marques Johnson (6-4 Sr)
F Clayton Barlow-Wilcox (6-4 Sr)
F Nate Maurer (6-7 Sr)

CMU appears to be about average in terms of D3 height...they start 4 seniors.

On the surface it seems like Top 25 D3 team should hang right with Princeton.

[Titan Q]

What I'd really like to see is a Princeton/Grinnell matchup.

[smedindy]

Per Princeton's site, they start...

G Geoff Kestler (6-3/200, Fr)
G Kevin Steuerer (6-5/200, So)
F Noah Savage (6-5/230, So)
F Kyle Koncz (6-7/200, So)
C Patrick Ekeruo (6-8/220, Jr)

Not big at all for D1 standards and very inexperienced.

They'd be a huge team in the NCAC, at least. And I've seen some smaller D-1 teams as well, especially in the Ivy and Patriot League (and sometimes the Atlantic Sun, SWAC, MAAC, Southland, Big South, and MEAC).

And really, I know the Ivy is D-1, but they are a kin to D-3. I think only Lafayette of the Patriot league is the last team not to give out scholarships (not counting the service academies, but that's a different type o' dog anyway).

How about Redlands and Air Force? Since I believe Air Force is now the best team playing the Princeton offense. (Apologies to Northwestern and Samford).

Did I have a point??